Method of making channel strips



J. l. TAYLOR METHOD OF MAKING CHANNEL STRIPS Dec. 1, 1931.

Filed Jan. 27. 1928 Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEJOSEPH I. TAYLOR, OF AKRON, OHIO, ABBIGNOR TO THE B. I. GOODBICH. comm,OF NEW YORK, N. Y, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK mnon or mnve cmnnr armsApplication filed January 27, 1928. Serial No. 24am.

This invention relates to channel strips such as are used as runways forthe lass of automobile windows and its chief ob ects are to provide animproved channel strip adapted to grip the glass uniformly and withsufiicient strength to seal a ainst the glass and prevent loose play anyet to permit easy running of the glass; and to provide for facility andeconomy in the manufacture of such a strip.

I attain these objects by reinforcing with a thin strip of sheet metal arubber channel strip of such form as to grip the glass primarily alongthe outer margins of the legs 16 of the channel, the reinforcing strippreferably being of resilient metal and being given uniformcross-sectional form so that local binding of the glass will be avoidedand the pressure of channel strip against the glass 20 will be ofconstant force throughout the life of the strip. The channel strip ispreferably formed by passing the metal strip in flat form through anextruding machine and thereby progressively forming upon the metal stripa cushion body of rubber of suitable form to give the desiredcross-sectional form in the channel strip formed by bending therubber-covered metal strip to trough orm, and so bending the compositestri either before or after vulcanizing it. Kn antifriction ordecorative fibrous cover may be ap lied to the metal-reinforced rubberstrip eit er beforeor after it has been bent to trough form and eitherbefore or after it is vulcanized, but preferably while the compositestrip is still in flat form and unvulcanized, and I find that thebending of the composite strip does not result in objectionablewrinkling of the cover at the compression side of the bend or separationof the cover from the rubber layer.

Of the accompanying drawin Fig. 1 is a side elevation o apparatusadapted for performing certain steps in the practice of my invention inits preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, with parts sectioned and removed, of aiece of the work as it appears before being cut to channel form.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of bending rollers and the worktherein illus trating the operation of bending the strip to channelform.

Referring to the drawings, the thin, initially flat, metal stripconstitutin the reinforce-1 ment, preferably of tempered ut deformablesteel, is shown at 10, the cushion layer of rubber thereon is designated11, and an antifriction and decorative covering 12 of fibrous materialsuch as felt is shown upon the rubber cushion layer. The rubber cushionla er is preferably formed with longitudinal eads 13, 13 extending alongits margins on the side of the strip which is the inner side when thestrip is bent to channel form, which beads, with the felt coveringthereon, provide in the finished product overhanging ledges on the innerfaces of the mar 'ns of the legs of the channel strip, adapte to bearmore firmly upon the window glass than the adjacent portions of the legsdo and thus to present a neat appearance and avoid crevices such aswould collect dirt, and the form of the strip also is such that it willembrace glasses of different thicknesses without excessively weak orstrong pressure.

The fibrous covering strip 12 is preferably continuous throughout theinner surface and the outer side surface of the channel, with its sidemargins extending onto the outer surface of the base of the channel andthere terminating at a short distance from each other, leaving betweentheir edges a longitudinal, middle zone of the cushion layer 11 withouta covering, for economy of covering material and to provide a tolerancein avoiding overlap of the margins of the covering strip, which wouldresult in an undesirable ritige on the surface of the product.

find that notwithstanding the stiffness of the tempered steel strip 10it may be suitably coated with the rubber cushion layer 11, in flatform, by drawing it through a rubberextruding machine such as is shownat 14, 95 and that, with the rubber coating thereon but still in flatform it ma be conveniently covered with the felt strip 12 b drawing thetwo together through a fol ing sleeve 15. The folding sleeve preferablyis mounted over the upper reach of an endless belt conveyor 16 geared tothe extruding machine through a variable-speed drive device 17, the saidreach sliding upon the upper face of a table 18 and a star wheel 19 ismounted over the delivery end-roll 20 of the conveyor, urged toward thelatter by a spring 21 and geared to the said end-roll, the star wheelthus being adapted to draw the metal strip 10 through the extrudingmachine and, together with the rubber cushion layer thereon and with thecovering strip 12, through the folding sleeve 15, the covering strip 12being drawn from a supply roll 22 mounted under the table and passingabout the receiving end-roll 23 of the conveyor into contact with therubbercoated metal strip while the coating is in a fresh and tackycondition, which results in good adhesion of the covering strip.

A presser roll 24 is mounted over the conveyor end-roll 23 to press therubber-coated metal strip progressively upon the covering strip whilethey are both in flat form and a presser roll 25 is mounted over theconveyor at the middle part thereof to press the folded-over margins ofthe covering strip against the cushion layer 11 as the covered strippasses from the folding sleeve.

The star wheel engages the work at a position at which the rubbercushion layer not only has been covered with the strip 12 but has cooledappreciably after emerging in a hot condition from the extrudingmachine. Both the covering and the cooling of the rubber layercontribute to a strengthening of the composite strip such as to permitit to withstand without damage the strong gripping force necessary forpulling the metal strip from a suitable source of supply and through theextruding machine and the star wheel is adapted to indent the metalstrip and the covering thereon to assure sufliciently strong drivingengagement.

The covered strip is preferably cut into lengths before being bent totroughed or channel form, as by means of a pneumatic cutter 26 mountedupon a measuring table 27 positioned near the delivery end of theconveyor 16 and provided with a gauge 28, the flat form of the compositestrip permitting it to be fed through a depending reserve loop 29 tocompensate for the intermittence of the measuring and cutting operation.

The severed lengths are bent to the channel form as shown in Fig. 3,preferably by pass ing them between a pair of bending rolls 30, 30 thereshown, the rolls giving them uniform cross-sectional shape andpermanently deforming the metal reinforcement to hold them in thatshape. The composite strip may be vulcanized, permissibly in open heat,before the bending operation, but it preferably is first bent and thenvulcanized, so that strain of the rubber opposed to the strength of thedeformed metal will be relieved in the final product.

The finished channel strip is strong, durable, suitably resilient toprovide permanently a suitable grip of the glass mounted therein, asubstantial range as to the thickness of the glass with which it may beassociated, and has neatness of appearance and desirable anti-frictionproperties. The metal strip, insulated by the rubber layer, is rotectedfrom moisture. The method of ma in the strip is economical and providesa strip having the several advantages mentioned.

Modifications are possible within the scope of my invention as definedin the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of making a channel strip which comprises applying acoating of hot, vulcanizable rubber composition to a strip of flat sheetmetal by extrusion, progressively applying a covering strip to thecoated metal strip and folding it laterally about the same while themetal strip remains in flat form and the coating thereon in a fresh andtacky condition, and thereafter so bending the covered strip as to giveit a permanent channel form by permanent distortion of the metal.

2. The method of making a channel strip which comprises covering a fiatstrip of sheet metal with a la er of rubber and a fibrous cover, andthen ending the composite structure to trough shape. 7

3. The method of making a composite strip of material which comprisesdrawing a metal strip through an extruding machine to cover it withplastic rubber and a fibrous coverin strip therefor from a source ofsupply an the two of them into progressive contact with each other byengagement with the resulting composite strip in which the rubber isstill unvulcanized.

4. The method of making a composite strip of material which comprisesdrawing a metal strip through an extruding machine to cover it withplastic rubber and a fibrous coverin strip therefor from a source ofsupply an the two of them into progressive contact with each other by enagement with the resulting composite strip, t e metal strip beingentirely surrounded by the rubber layer and the engagement being with aportion of the strip in which the rubber is still unvulcanized.

5. The method of making a composite strip of material which comprisesdrawing a metal strip through an extruding machine to cover it withplastic rubber and a fibrous ooverin strip therefor from a source ofsupply an the two of them into progressive contact with each other byengagement with the resulting composite strip, and shaping the compositestrip channel form of uniform cross-section by permanent distortion ofthe metal from a transversely flat condition.

6. The method of making a channel strip which comprises bending totrough shape a flat structure comprising a. flat strip of sheet metaland a layer of unvulcanized rubber and 5 a fibrous cover thereon, andthen vulcanizing the rubber to unite the component parts of thecomposite structure.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th da of January,1928.

19 OSEPH I. TAYLOR.

6. The method of making a channel strip which comprises bending totrough she e a flat structure comprising a. flat strip of s eet metaland a layer of unvulcanized rubber and 5 a fibrous cover thereon, andthen vulcanizing the rubber to unite the component parts of thecomposite structure.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th da of January,1928.

10 OSEPH I. TAYLOR.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,834,554. December 1, i931.

JOSEPH I. TAYLOR.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2,line I06, claim 3, after "with" insert the words "a portion of"; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of January, A. D. 1933.

M- J. M re, (Seal) Acting Commissigner of Patents.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,834,554. December l, 193i.

JOSEPH L TAYLOR.

it is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2.line I06, claim 3, after "with" insert the words "a portion of"; andthat the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOffice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of January, A. D. 1933.

M. L Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

